The very ancient meets the most
modern in Whitireia’s online literary journal, 4th Floor 2012,
launched today.
4th Floor publishes annually,
showcasing writers from Whitireia New Zealand’s creative writing programme and
produced by Whitireia publishing students. Rob Hack’s poem ‘Mangaia, the oldest
island in the Pacific’ is a highlight this year.
‘Mangaia is 18,000,000 years old,’
says Rob (above). ‘People will read this poem about the island on tablets, mobile
phones – the whole collection anytime, anywhere in the online world.’ Rob says
publishing his poetry in an online format ‘connects with an entirely new, often
younger audience than those who usually read poetry books or attend
performances.’
Hinemoana Baker has edited the
journal for five years. ‘4th Floor has always been an online
journal, and as such readers can dip into it from whichever online device they
happen to be using,’ she says. ‘The appeal of online publishing is often in its
distribution. The reach of a journal like this is not just local and national,
but international as well, and that’s instant. Writers can share their work globally,
and audiences can read it, just by clicking.’
When festivals and publications are
looking for writers, it can help to have an online presence, says Hinemoana.
‘In my experience, they like to share the load of publicising events, and
writers having some kind of profile helps. 4th Floor is a
great vehicle for that.’
The reach of this year’s journal is
global in more ways than one. As well as Rob’s poem, 4th Floor
2012 also features a poem by Felicity Yates set in ancient Greece, one
by Nicola Easthope set in the Orkney parish of Birsay, and a sequence by Kāpiti
Coast poet Tina Regtien exploring her Dutch heritage. Other international
highlights include poems from recently returned Berlin Creative New Zealand
writer in residence Kate Camp, and 2012 International Writing Programme (Iowa
University) writer in resident, Jeffrey Paparoa Holman.
4th Floor also offers a free
downloadable ebook anthology
in epub, mobi or PDF format.
For any enquiries contact:
Hinemoana Baker,
Editor:
Nina McCullagh,
Whitireia Publishing:
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